{"id":342,"date":"2022-11-26T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T00:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/?p=342"},"modified":"2022-07-27T21:31:05","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T21:31:05","slug":"mercenaries-tale-4-07-settling-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/mercenaries-tale-4-07-settling-in","title":{"rendered":"Mercenaries’ Tale – 4.07 Settling In"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The apartment in question was a studio. There was one double bed, a small kitchenette and a sofa. The room was a little more welcoming than the downstairs if only because the distinct absence of half-hearted metalwork projects. The furniture was more traditional, the walls painted a creamy beige with minimal bubbles and cracks. It almost felt homely compared to some of the safehouses the trio had found over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doug had disappeared down the corner shop for fifteen minutes in order to grab some cooking ingredients and a couple of packs of whatever beer he could find whilst the other two got settled in. Kate spread the map over a coffee table and took to studying every inch of the thing, only pulling herself away when Doug handed her a bowl of risotto some time later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey had a crap selection at the shop. It\u2019s all tins and root vegetables,\u201d Doug was saying as her attention was brought back to the physical world, \u201cbut then I remembered how much you liked that risotto I made back when we were staking out that drug dealer last month so I thought I\u2019d experiment,\u201d he grinned eagerly at her. Kate blinked at him, surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou noticed? I don\u2019t remember saying\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I mean, you finished off two bowls of the stuff so I kinda assumed\u2026 is it alright?\u201d he rubbed his neck awkwardly, a hint of shyness returning to his usually confident persona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u2026 sweet. Thank you,\u201d she tucked in, her cheeks flushing as she turned away. Doug handed Gratin a bowl, the mage sat at the opposite side of the table, before making himself comfortable next to Kate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, learn anything?\u201d he waved a fork vaguely at the map. Kate had to swallow a mouthful of miscellaneous root vegetable before she could answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA few things. There\u2019s a few stops I\u2019d like to make. The Arms Emporium sounds promising and then there\u2019s here,\u201d she pointed to an outcrop on the side of the valley. It was secreted away behind a house, a fence blocking off view from the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town of Forest Canyon was an interesting one. The town itself was spread across both sides of a wide valley, Genetix\u2019s compound situated at the bottom of said valley. There was only one way into the facility on foot and that was through the entrance of the valley, the opposite end cut off by a river that empted into a lake. The river bank was covered by thick overgrowth. The outcrop looked to have a good view of the facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould be a good place for a stakeout. What do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSteep slope but not a deadly drop by the looks of it. Will have to check it out to see how the place is walled off but could be a good angle to enter from,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we can\u2019t cut through, Gratin might be able to fly us over. I want to see what kind of security we\u2019re dealing with first though. Study their patrol patterns\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArchie can get on that when we go shopping. Doubt he\u2019d be spotted back there,\u201d suggested Doug. The map did indicate there was a fair amount of foliage to hide in, some bush and tree symbols spread out along the sides of the canyon and dotted around the Genetix facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI concur. It sounds like a good use of my time,\u201d Gratin agreed from his seat between mouthfuls of risotto. Kate remained pensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d want to see the spot in person to see just how shielded it is but it sounds like a good start\u2026\u201d she adjusted herself in her seat, grunting in discomfort as she attempted to stretch her back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou alright Love?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMmm, I\u2019ve just been getting a twinge back there ever since Mad Dog threw me into that dessert cabinet\u2026\u201d she put her half-empty bowl down and reached back to grind her knuckles into her back in a bid to ease out the discomfort. Doug placed his bowl next to hers and climbed to his feet, stepping behind her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere, let me,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you- oh!\u201d Doug laid his human hand over the spot Kate had been rubbing and slowly began to massage it. Kate tensed at first but it all melted away as she relaxed into his touch, allowing Doug to work his own brand of magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c…You\u2019ve done this before,\u201d she muttered after a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe. If you think I\u2019m good with one hand, imagine what I\u2019d do with two\u2026\u201d he japed flirtatiously, Kate giggling along with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gratin paused mid-mouthful to watch. The bubble of warmth was back again, enveloping the two. Only this time it was gradually building in temperature, a spark of something stronger threatening to ignite-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two humans were surprised as Gratin suddenly shot to his feet, bowl and fork still in hand and his cheeks looking a little flushed under the mask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou alright there, Archie?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFine! I require air. As you were!\u201d the Mage bluntly stated before turning on his heel and stiffly walking out the door and into the corridor, leaving the perplexed humans behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making sure the door was shut behind him, Gratin couldn\u2019t help but smile. He wasn\u2019t sure if the pair would ever actually act on their feelings or if they were even fully aware of what they were but he was happy for them regardless. They just needed the space to work it out for themselves\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of shuffling and loud singing. A moment later, Julia appeared climbing up the stairs with a particularly inebriated Major under her arm. He was singing some manner of drinking song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAaaand the hedgehooooooog doesn\u2019t giiiive a- oh! Mr Archie! What ho!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood morning. Are you well?\u201d Gratin asked as he took in the strained look on Julia\u2019s face and the redness of the Major\u2019s jolly expression. The barmaid looked pleadingly at the mage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA little help?\u201d she squeaked. Gratin placed his bowl on the floor and moved to open the door to the Major\u2019s apartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCertainly\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis woman!\u201d The Major was saying excitedly as Julia struggled to keep him upright, \u201cshe has such an interesting accent!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoes she?\u201d asked the mage, bewildered as he held the door open for the two of them. Julia managed to ease the eager older gentleman into his rented accommodation, slowly making their way to an armchair that stood in the centre of the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s from a charming little village in New Scania, yes?\u201d the old man was continuing despite being physically moved away from the conversation. Julia found herself sighing in exasperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I said\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut her accent has a hint of Centrissal about it! I\u2019d place her \u2013 oh \u2013 around the east coast, in the Coves? Maybe somewhere In Epona1<\/sup><\/a>? It has a very distinctive twang\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c…I might have spent some years studying out there before moving to Polaris\u2026\u201d the barmaid reluctantly admitted causing Gratin to regard her more closely as he approached the other two. Julia seemed uneasy with the topic at hand. A fact that the Major was oblivious to in his drunken state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew it! Distinctive twang!\u201d he snapped his fingers for emphasis, \u201cI\u2019ve always had a good ear! I earned my stripes in counter intelligence before I was promoted to greener pastures. You\u2019d be surprised at the things I notice!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs that so?\u201d Julia had managed to get the Major to sit at this point, the old man giving his moustache a stroke as he reclined into the large, worn seat with an air of smugness about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh yes! For example, this gentleman-\u201d Stanley jabbed a finger in the mage\u2019s direction, \u201c-is very good at faking sight to the point that his friends are yet to realise that he\u2019s as blind as a bat!\u201d there was an awkward pause at this revelation, Gratin becoming stock still as Julia turned to gawp at him in her confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou…noticed?\u201d despite his colourful attire, Gratin was used to fading into the background. He was quiet which meant people were likely to lose interest in him quickly in favour of his companion\u2019s louder personalities. The fact that someone would look past the bombastic nature of Doug McCracken and pay attention to the silent and aloof Gratin was a strange one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSurprised you, didn\u2019t I?\u201d The Major winked at the other man, \u201cI\u2019m guessing by the way you were stumbling about in the snowfield that you were using your ethereal prowess to \u201csee\u201d heat like a thermal imaging device?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are very astute. I lost my sight some years ago after a rather\u2026 heated argument with someone I had once considered a close friend. I have been relying on my mastery of fire magicks ever since to trace heat sources in a bid to map my surroundings. That and the empathic abilities one develops as a by-product of learning to sense magical sources. Sensing people\u2019s mental states is very useful in keeping track of my friends and to identify those around me,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in our heads?\u201d asked the barmaid, alarmed. This caused Gratin to chuckle as he found a place to sit on a nearby footstool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, not unless you wish for me to make a connection. Once made, I can send telepathic messages and possibly glimpse the occasional surface thought but it is a complicated process and telepathy is technically considered air magic, which I have only ever dabbled in,\u201d this put Julia at ease. The Major\u2019s thoughts were elsewhere, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA friend took your eyesight? That must have been quite a disagreement!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, although there had been many red flags in the relationship that on retrospect I should have paid more attention to had I known what to look for. I can only take solace in the fact that I did not make it easy for him. As our mutual friend Mr Galvison would say, \u201cyou should see the other guy\u201d,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation stalled for a moment, The Major sinking into his seat as Julia went about the room, checking the heating was working and the pipes hadn\u2019t frozen. The old man, in his drunken haze, stared off into space as his mind wandered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c…There were a lot of rumours following the Sergeant and his friend around\u2026\u201d The Major muttered, lost in his own reverie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRumours?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey held some manner of connection to the Commander. Were in and out of his office all the time. I was on good terms with his secretarial staff. Those girls liked a gossip and in my long career I\u2019ve found a good gossip to be a valuable asset. Rumour has it that McCracken and Galvison held special\u2026 allowances,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAllowances? What does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey were on a priority list. The Commander would always make time for them. A man of his stature paying that much attention to a pair of lowly sergeants? It\u2019s unheard of!\u201d Gratin merely stared blankly at the old man, Stanly slowly coming to the conclusion that the mage was missing some context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh. I keep forgetting most civilians don\u2019t follow the ins and outs of military life. I suppose you wouldn\u2019t know much of ranks?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Meatbag sometimes speaks of his military life but I can\u2019t say that he ever mentioned how high up the chain of command he was\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c…Meatbag?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA term of endearment between us. He has a tendency to address a person by everything bar their names so I try to return the favour. It suits him really,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take your word for it. As for his rank\u2026 for a grunt he was quite high up the ranks but he was still only a grunt. He was a sergeant and his friend was a sergeant first class. This meant that they were only a few promotions away from attaining the lowest rung in the officer\u2019s club and yet they never made it past their ranks despite participating in an almost absurd amount of successful campaigns. That paired with their supposedly rosy relationship with the Commander leads to much talk\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd the Commander would be a general or admiral of some sort?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy he is the highest ranking officer in the entire military my boy!\u201d The Major exclaimed, aghast at Gratin\u2019s lack of knowledge, \u201ctechnically the PSF is run by the Board of Directors but they\u2019re merely ad-men and accountants. The Commander takes whatever sales orders they manage to procure and he then makes sure that the military delivers! It\u2019s a highly prestigious and decorated position!\u201d The Major was excitable but Gratin watched as the energy slowly seeped out of him, the old man settling back into his seat, his face drooping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery respectable man, Ivan. I was his superior for a while but watched him rise in the ranks. I tried to be someone worth looking up to but age gets the best of us eventually\u2026\u201d he was starting to look his age, a sad twinkle in his eye, \u201cI know what people were saying about me towards the end. That I was just a doddering old man…the Sergeant included. I know he and his friends thought poorly of me and it\u2019s probably not a coincidence that I was encouraged to retire after they left my care\u2026\u201d Gratin couldn\u2019t help but feel sorry for the old man. Tentatively, he reached over and patted him on the hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be fair, he normally objects to being told what to do no matter who gives him orders. He is extremely fond of Mistress Amelia and yet he acts like a disgruntled child if she dares give him a command\u2026\u201d offered the Mage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very kind. The Sergeant has a point though. I was always hard on him, never really listened and doubled down whenever it became clear I made a mistake. I\u2019m not that different from him to be honest. I\u2019m glad he\u2019s settling down with a good woman. From what I\u2019ve seen, ms Amelia has been very good for him\u2026\u201d Gratin remained silent. The Major yawned, his eyes struggling to stay open. Julia approached with a blanket in hand which she tucked around the old man. The Major muttered something under his breath and slipped into a peaceful sleep, leaving Julia and Gratin alone. They quietly slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Julia wiped her brow with a sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPhew, he\u2019s a sweetie but a handful!\u201d she glanced at the mage, \u201cI\u2019m glad he\u2019s got you lot. He seems so frail I\u2019d hate for him to be alone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cActually we only met him yesterday. He seems\u2026 eccentric but harmless,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh…right…he said he was your pilot. Well, I promise I\u2019ll look after him while you lot do your thing. You should probably get some sleep yourself. Sounds like you\u2019ve a busy day ahead of you!\u201d she smiled sweetly at him and began climbing the stairs to the next floor. Gratin\u2019s senses followed her ascent, waiting until she had vanished into her own chambers before doing anything else. She seemed genuine in her desire to help the group, if a little too keen. It was very curious\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gratin decided to finish his meal in the corridor and to meditate for a further fifteen minutes before attempting to return to the apartment he and his friends were renting. The humans were asleep inside, Gratin finding them curled up on the bed, Kate using Doug\u2019s chest as a pillow, his organic arm resting on her waist. They were both fully clothed and were lying on top of the covers, sleeping peacefully. An examination of the side tables indicated that Doug had only had a couple of beers but Kate\u2019s side housed four empty cans. It didn\u2019t seem as though anything noteworthy had transpired between the two but the Mage couldn\u2019t help but wonder if Kate had been looking for a little liquid courage just in case…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electing to leave the cleaning for the morning, Gratin made himself comfortable on the sofa so he too could drift off\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/a>Epona is one of the counties of Centrissal in the region known as The Coves. It\u2019s known for it\u2019s sandy beaches, sleepy fishing towns and excessive tourism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The apartment in question was a studio. There was one double bed, a small kitchenette and a sofa. The room was a little more welcoming than the downstairs if only because the distinct absence of half-hearted metalwork projects. The furniture was more traditional, the walls painted a creamy beige with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[32,31,123,33,124,120,112,125,119,19,9],"class_list":["post-342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-mercenaries-tale","tag-blaise","tag-doug-mccracken","tag-frozen-bluffs","tag-gratin","tag-julia","tag-kate-odonnell","tag-major-stanley-morrison","tag-neon-arachnid","tag-polaris","tag-psf","tag-the-mercs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}